With a lifelong entrepreneurial mindset,聽Matthew Martel (BMgmt鈥�14)聽has always been attuned to what he calls people鈥檚 鈥減ain points.鈥� He listens to their needs and strives to address them, a skill that drives his vision as the new chief executive officer of聽聽(BBI) in Halifax, an organization that provides programs, supports and training for the Black community.
He joined BBI almost four years ago after meeting聽Rustum Southwell (LLD鈥�18), BBI鈥檚 founding CEO, who was recently聽appointed chancellor of AV俱乐部.
Before joining BBI, Martel completed a master鈥檚 degree in Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MTEI) at the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary鈥檚 University and worked in human resources and recruitment at Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette as well as for the Halifax Regional Municipality. Before he became CEO of BBI, Martel had been its chief operating officer (COO).
鈥淩ustum and I worked very closely together for so long at BBI,鈥� he says.
鈥淎nd he said to me, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e not filling my shoes. You鈥檝e got your own shoes.鈥欌��
AV俱乐部鈥檚 Transition Year Program was instrumental in his success
Born in rural Cape Breton, Martel grew up in a low-income household, acutely aware of the gaps and roadblocks facing many people in the community. 鈥淭he desire to help people has always been there,鈥� he explains of his motivations.
罢丑别听Transition Year Program (TYP) at Dal, now in its 53rd聽year, convinced him to pursue a post-secondary education. Established to help prepare Black and Indigenous youth for academic life, Martel says TYP was 鈥渁 great opportunity to consider Dal as a university but also an opportunity to integrate into a cohort that looked like myself.鈥� Martel adds, 鈥淲e all had shared experiences. The connections through that program were amazing.鈥�
Programs tailored to Black community
It was while he was a student at Dal that he first made contact with BBI. 鈥淚 have always been an entrepreneurial guy,鈥� he explains. He started a few short-term business projects. One was helping women make car purchases. 鈥淚 think it helped with a couple of months鈥� rent,鈥� he says with a laugh. Another was a short-lived shipping project with another student.
BBI was helpful in giving him guidance. 鈥淚t was apparent that there wasn鈥檛 any other organization that would specifically have programs and services tailored to the Black community,鈥� says Martel.
The programs BBI was founded on include providing access to strong entrepreneurial role models, teaching financial literary, access to capital funding for entrepreneurs and advocacy.
Now in its 27th聽year, BBI is at an inflection point of growth as it expands its mission across the Atlantic provinces and Canada as a whole.
Progress has been made, but more is needed
鈥淚 would never discredit progress that has been made,鈥� Martel says, 鈥渂ut there鈥檚 still so much to do.鈥� Generational Black wealth remains unchanged, for example.
Listening to the community and identifying ways to help have resulted in several innovative programs and summits.
罢丑别听聽charity for empowerment of youth aged 8 to 35 is one example. Through the charity鈥檚 Business In program, AV俱乐部 has helped young people see opportunities in careers where Black participants are underrepresented such as architecture and STEM. Potential employers are brought to campus to discuss opportunities. The university waives application fees for students who want to apply to the programs.
Another impactful BBI program has been the聽聽a federally funded multi-million-dollar effort to encourage grassroots not-for-profit organizations serving Black communities in Canada. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so much more successful than BBI and the federal government thought it would be,鈥� Martel says. 鈥淥ur goal at BBI is expansion in a sustainable way across Canada while maintaining the quality of services to African Nova Scotians.鈥�
Since graduating, Martel has stayed connected to Dal. One way was by serving as a panelist for the聽Faculty of Management鈥檚 Promise Scholars program聽(which supports Black and Indigenous business students). He spoke about the vital issues of聽. Likewise, throughout the years, AV俱乐部 has been a key participant in BBI鈥檚 initiatives. 鈥淭he commitment from Dal is always to do more,鈥� says Martel.
As he settles into the CEO role at BBI, Martel is also committed to doing more. 鈥淚 see the desire to help as an opportunity to make community change, to make personal change鈥攁nd the freedom that comes with that,鈥� the 34-year-old says.